Expo Phase I Opening Delayed Again, Opening Likely in 2012

As recently as August of last year, the Expo Construction Authority was dropping hints that Phase I of the Expo Line would be open by now. Instead, the delays that have hampered the project from the beginning have continued as the Line moves towards its elusive opening date.

Yesterday, another delay was announced.

Longtime Expo supporter Gökhan Esirgen reported that FCI/Fluor/Parsons (the contractor team for most of Phase I of the Expo Line) sent a notice to Expo Authority stating that the projected substantial completion, that is the completion of all construction work, was delayed by two more months to August 23, 2011.

Delaying of the substantial completion by two months at this point makes the earlier reported November opening for the Expo Line less likely. If everything goes very well and if the testing is sped up, it might still be possible to open the line to La Cienega in November, but given the history of new delays appearing and the chance of encountering problems during testing, 2012 seems a more likely option.

There is a silver lining for those anxiously awaiting Expo’s opening. Karen Leonard, the Chair of Light Rail for Cheviot and Hello Expo, writes “Too bad, we’re all waiting! But maybe now the line can be opened all the way to Culver City when the two contractors complete their segments – one testing sequence and one opening ought to be more efficient.”

Friends for Expo’s Darrell Clarke agrees, stating succinctly, “Opening all at once to Culver City could be good.”

Esirgen also agrees that a full opening for Phase I in 2012 is likely. “Since the Culver City Station is being built by a different contractor (Balfour Beatty Infrastructure and Balfour Beatty Rail) and it’s ahead of schedule, it’s now a possibility that it might be more practical to open the line to Culver City as a whole, instead of having two openings within a month or two.”

Audio for the Expo Construction Authority Board Meeting can be found here. The portion of the meeting pertaining to the new delays, starts at 13:40.

Unbelievable!!!!! I heard the contractor will get fined 30,000 a day every day that the line is not completed past July 15th. I hope the county supervisors fine them this money and hit them hard. Ridiculous!!! Open! Open! Open!

Anonymous

Opening it to USC by September is something LA Metro really ought to push for then.

GB

Seriously! A soft opening to USC would be wonderful, then a big ribbon-cutting, politician photo-op, confetti and streamer “grand opening” all the way to Culver City in 2012

Great idea! Connecting downtown and the red/purple and blue lines to Exposition Park and USC would be a massive improvement on its own. I wonder how feasible that would be.

Bob Davis

We’re coming up on the 30th Anniversary of the opening of the San Diego Trolley. Construction of the 15.9 mile line from downtown to San Ysidro/Mexican border took about 18 months. Why does it take much longer to build a shorter rail line in Los Angeles? I still remember Pete Wilson’s comment on opening day (July 26, 1981): “The Red Cars are back–120 miles to the south.”

too

Red Bull Gives You Hemorrhoids

I like how it’s white people on the bike paths only, and they are riding pretty fast judging by the way their hair is blowing in the wind. Where is the bum encampment like we have alongside the Orange Line? Where are the Cool Hand Luke solitary boxes, uh, I mean “bike storage” boxes?

I am opposed to the Expo line being delayed, but in favor of releasing more renderings I can mock.

Ubrayj02

CicLAvia cancelled in July and now this?! WHAT THE AKSALJASLFJAF:ADF!

Scott Mercer

@ Bob Davis:@12a35c1f774aa60390ce56e7a2094e10:disqus
The San Diego Trolley is at all grade. There are no undercrossings or overcrossings on the original segment. The Expo Line has at least 4 overcrossings on this segment and one large undercrossing. That’s why it’s taking so much longer.

Anonymous

Actually, the SD Trolley has one grade separation at the 24th Street station in National City. Still, a lot less than the Expo Line will have.

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